Improvement in apparatus for removing snow from railways



C. T. GESLAIN.-

Improvement in vApparatus yfor Removing Snow from Railways.

N0. 128,511. Patentedluly 2;1872

VNrrnn STATES -1 CHARLES GESLAIN, OF BROOKLYN, E. D., NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,611, dated July 2, 1872.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. GESLAIN, of Brooklyn, E. D., in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus forV Clearing Tracks of Snow and Ice and the following is 'declared to be a correct description thereof.

This improvement is for softening and wash` ing away snow or ice from a city-railway track. I make use of a platform on wheels, to which the ordinary scraper for removing snow may be applied, and this platform is provided with a water-tank, a water-heating boiler, a tank for salt, and a pump. The pump transfers water from. the tank gradually into the boiler, the hot water liows through the mass of salt, and the hot brine is delivered directly upon the railroad rails, so as to melt snow or ice and cause the same to run off. By this improvement a saving will be effected in the use of salt, and there will not be as much objection, as heretofore, to the use of salt arising from the intense chill to pedestrians and animals from stepping in the snow and ice impregnated with salt.

In the drawing, Figure l is a longitudinal section of my apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the same.

The platform et is of suitable size, supported upon wheels b b,- and c represents a diagonal scraper of any usual character that may be employed for removing snow from the track in the usual manner. The tanks cl d are of suficient size to contain the required supply of water, and the heating-boiler c may be an upright tubular one, as shown, or of any other suitable construction. The tank f is to hold salt, and it is provided with a cover at 2, and from this tank the water-pipes g g pass to the sprinklers h h to convey the heated brine directly to the rails 7c of the track. Suitable cocksV should be provided to regulate the quantity of water or brine delivered. The pump lis operated by the eccentric m or otherwise, and takes water from the tanks d., and delivers the same into the lower part of the boiler e, and the heated Water flows 4into the salttank f by the pipes 4, and the brine or saline waters flow off from f by the pipes g and sprinklers h, as aforesaid. Any steam that is generated in the boiler e may pass by the pipe r into the salt-vessel f, or by the pipe s into the tank d, to warm the water therein previous to its passing to the pump. The furnace is supplied with air from the trunk t, running the length ofthe platform or nearly so, and having a funnel-mouth at each end;

ployed to deflect the current of air up into the ash-pit of the furnace, according to the direction in lwhich the apparatus is being drawn or the wind is blowing. An inclosure or car may be provided for this apparatus.

I claim as my inventionl. The water-heating boiler, in combination with the salt-tank f, pipes g, and sprinklers h upon a railway car, for the purposes and substantially as set forth.

2. The track-clearing apparatus, constructed substantially as described, and consisting of tank, and distributing-pipes, combined and arranged substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 22d day of April, A. D. 1872.

CHARLES T. GESLAIN.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINGKNEY, Clans. H. SMITH.

and a damper, u, moved by a handle, is emthe water-tanks, pump, heating-boiler, salt- 

